Harpoon Octoberfest Beer | Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall

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Notes / Commercial Description:
The character and complexity of Harpoon Octoberfest comes from the malt and hops. When looking at a freshly poured Harpoon Octoberfest, you will notice the garnet-red color with a firm, creamy head. The beer’s color is from a blend of Munich, chocolate, and pale malt. The thick head results in part from wheat malt added to the grist. The hop aroma of this beer is not overpowering but it is present. Tettnang hops add a subtle spice nose that blends with the malt character. This beer is full-bodied, smooth, and malty. Willamettehops are used to provide a gentle bitterness and to balance any residual sweetness present from the malt. The finish is soft and malty with a mild bitterness.

More User Reviews:

Pours a deep copper color with not much of a head to speak of,a very light aroma of some toasted malt but not much there in my mind.Taste is slightly doughy and roasty but seemed a little dry for my liking would have liked some more caramel malt flavor.Not awe-inspiring by any means but a drinkable beer but wont ever seek this one out for sure.

Aroma of Munich malt, caramel, touches of toast, some fruity esters, and more hops (grassy/herbal) than I would expect in an Oktoberfest.

Body is rather full for the style, in a pleasing way, with a lot of big malt flavors. Some fruity flavors in the front detract slightly. The finish is well hopped and slightly dry for the style but the added spice from the above average hoppiness is very pleasing and contributes much to the beer. The body is smooth throughout and certainly sessionable.

Overall a very nice Oktoberfest that fits the style well while adding a couple of American tweaks.

It pours a crystal clear copper with some reddish hues. It' one of the reddest Oktoberfests I've had. A bone colored 2 finger head forms and then dies after about 15 seconds with minimal lacing.

The nose is very neutral. I'm getting just a little caramel malt flavor with a very minimal amount of a soap like smell.

The flavor lends a little more malt flavor but it's still a pretty neutral tasting beer. The finish is a little too sweet and muddy. It's not the crisp bit of a well made lager I look for.

Like I alluded to above, the body is too full for my liking in a Oktoberfest. That affects the mouthfeel in the finish greatly. Through all of these, this is still a good beer and very easy to drink, just not a great example.

from a can to a beer tulip
look; reddish copper, not much carbonation, 1/3" head that left quickly, ok lacing
smell; a little maltier and roastier than an irish red, a little extra hops, hint of sugar/caramel
taste; that little bit of extra hops or something else gives it just a little spice push that makes it nice, a tasty oktoberfest that's not too sweet for me, the bready roasty malts are there but with just that little extra spice
feel; smooth, not too carbonated
overall; it's a very nice drinkable take on an oktoberfest

Having this in a proper Harpoon dimpled litre stein glass at the brewery is a real treat ... One of my favourite local Octoberfest beers on draught. Although, this is not a lager, thus not a true Marzen/Oktoberfest. It's a nice Amber Ale for a festive occassion.

Dark ruby amber (a bit on the dark side for the style), with an appropriately malty nose.

Very smooth & malty, with just a bit of hop bitterness and a very good finishing hop spiciness. A tasty interpretation. The finish is a good malt/hop balance with a slight, pleasing lingering bitterness. A nice Fall seasonal, would be great to kick back on a Sunday with a twelve pack of these and toss a football around at halftime.

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a dimpled mug.

Appearance: It has a thick and foamy beige head over a dark orange amber colored body with good clarity. The head has good retention and slowly fades to thin covering leaving nice slick lacing that slides down the glass as I sip.

Smell: Its aroma is creamy sweet and malty with some toasted caramel notes and mild leafy hops.

Taste/Mouth feel: The flavor has wonderful toasted notes with sweet creamy caramel and mild spicy/leafy hops. Hop bitterness is mild throughout but picks in the finish and fades off the tongue slowly. It has a smooth and creamy texture that is just slightly sick with good balanced carbonation and a solid medium to full body.

Notes: Well done! This is a great Oktoberfest/Amber Ale brewed with Ale yeast instead of traditional Lager yeast.

Smell: Fragrant hops with a hint of deeply toasted malt and a clean sweetness holding a very faint fruitiness.

Taste: Smooth and medium to full in body, hops are subtle yet gain ground towards the finish. Small but snappy hop bitterness with a toasted bread malt palate and a hint of unsweetened chocolate. Vague fruitiness in the middle yet finishes with a leafy hop flavour, a pinch of sweetness and remnants of chocolate malt.

Notes: A great "American" Octoberfest brew, and that seems to be what they intended to create. In all aspects for me it is one hell of a fall seasonal extremely drinkable, quite tasty and a clean beer all around. A top pick for me amongst the other American Octoberfest brews.

Nothing spectactular here, but that could be the beauty of Harpoon. Every year, they consistently come out with good seasonals, and the occasional specialty. The Octoberfest pours the usual amber color, and the aroma is very slight. The taste is slightly bitter, but very smooth for an Octoberfest. Still every year when I try my first Octoberfest, I am really only counting down until my first Winter.